Casio Pathfinder Watch PAW1500T-7V

Casio Pathfinder PAW1500T-7V Retail $400.
My PAW1500 review below is more of a comparison of this new Casio Pathfinder watch to it’s older brothers. You can read about them and all their features by clicking my “watches” category on the right side menu.
I’ve been waiting for this watch for about a year now. Not too long after I purchased my PAW1300T Casio announced the 1500. I said “great” now I need to buy this one. I love the look of the early first generation Casio PAG40 series of triple sensor watches that had bezels with independent button rounds on the side of the case for the alt, bar, comp. This new design has this PAG40 type of look and I just love it.
The main features added to this new Pathfinder watch are now 200 meter water resistant, Tide and Moon graphs as well as moon age data, and a whole new bezel design which includes a rotating inner bezel for the compass heading markers.
The watch came packaged in a wooden box. Slight un-boxing sequence above.
The PAW1500T-7V has a rotating bezel. In the compass mode you can use this to quickly mark another bearing just by turning the bezel. The bezel rotates in both directions with a click feel to it.
For those that know nothing about Pathfinder watches, they are made by Casio and are multi sensor watches. With a press of a button you can see your current altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, compass direction and a multitude of other digital watch / time features. Over the years Casio has added more and more features to these “Pathfinder” series watches and it all comes to a pinnacle with today’s PAW1500 model which also adds the moon, tide features.
Add to this the fact that these watches are solar powered, now 200 meters water resistant, and have atomic time / date sync, and you have one hell of a timepiece that covers you for many situations in the field. That or you basically have one cool looking timepiece loaded with some great geek features 🙂
One thing I like about the new 1500 are the buttons are separated out a bit, the adjust and light buttons are much easier to read since the label is above them and of course the rotating bezel. Casio managed to pack the moon and tide graphs into the watch about as best as they could without over cluttering the display. The number digit size had to be shrunk a tad as a result but not by too much. You can alternate day or graph views by pressing the adjust button quickly.
The new moon / tide mode allows you to choose a date and it will let you know the tide data at that date. You can also inverse the moon graph depending on how you look at the moon in your area… a southerly view or a northerly view, so the moon graph on the watch can mimic the actual look of the moon in your sky.
The Tide graph does not just display high and low, but also the “tide range”. The little splash indicator at the bottom of the watch face can indicate a level of tide in addition to the range variance. By looking up date on the web you can get more accurate by inserting the high tide data time on a particular date. When ever you enter normal time mode or tide mode the tide and moon graph animates while the watch calculates the tide / moon data which takes a few seconds.
I also have to mention that the atomic sync antenna may have been improved in the PAW1500. This is the first Casio Atomic watch that is syncing to the atomic signal indoors here at my location in Costa Mesa / Newport Beach, CA. My previous atomic sync watches I would have to go outside at night to get a decent signal.
There are more “yacht timer” features like progress beeps (option) and timer reset modes that have been added to the timer.
Above you can see the 1500 is just slightly thicker than the 1300 in terms of the module thickness. The Titanium links are also just a tad “beefier” I would say ? it looks like a thick and heavy timepiece but its actually very light weight (like its brother the 1300T).
Here is a comparison shot of a few Pathfinders. As you might notice, the new 1500 time digits are slightly smaller then earlier versions of the pathfinder. The PAW1200 of course has the largest digits display but it was also a much larger watch and displaying less information.
A nice change on the PAW1500 is the fact that you can now finally see the day, time and month / date on the display at once. This in addition to the moon and tide features. The battery level charge indicator is just one letter (L,M,H) to make room on the face for all the information.
Here is a shot next to a GW-5600J for a size comparison.
Compared with a G9000 Mudman.
The new bezel may be too “busy” for some, I personally love it so I’m a happy camper (and a well informed one at that with this watch).
🙂
MORE PICS BELOW:
Casio Specs:
Combining the best elements of Pathfinder & Sea Pathfinder, Casio introduces the best Pathfinder to date. The Multi-Band 5 Atomic Solar Pathfinder steps beyond its core competencies of Digital Compass, Altimeter, Barometer and Thermometer by adding Tide and Moon Graphs and Moon Age Data. And if that wasnâ€™t enough, it’s 200M Water Resistant! * Multi-Band Atomic Timekeeping (US, UK, Germany, Japan)
Receives time calibration radio signals which keep the displayed time accurate
Auto receive function (up to 6 times per day)
Manual receive function
Signal: US WWVB, UK MSF, Germany DCF77, Japan JJY40/JJY60
Frequency: US 60kHz, UK 60kHz, Germany 77.5kHz, Japan 40/60kHz
* Tough Solar Power
* 200M Water Resistant
* Tide Graph (based on a combination of preset and user input data)
* Moon Data (moon age based on current date or user input data, moon phase graph)
* Digital Compass
16 points of measurement
Measuring range: 0 to 359 degrees
Measuring unit: 1 degree
* Bearing Memory
Memory Capacity: 1 record (stored direction angle and indicator)
* Altimeter
Measuring range: -700 to 10,000m (-2,300 to 32,800ft)
Measuring unit: 5m (20ft)
Auto memory measurements
* Altimeter Memory
Memory capacity: 20 records
Measurement data: altitude, month, date, time
Max altitude memory
Relative altitude display
Altitude tendency graph
Altitude differential graphic
* Barometer
Display range: 260 to 1,100 hPa (7.65 to 32.45 inHg)
Display unit: 1 hPa (0.05 inHg)
Atmospheric pressure tendency graph
Atmospheric pressure differential grapic
* Thermometer
Display range: -10 to 60 C (14 to 140 F)
Display unit: 0.1 C (0.2 F)
* Low Temperature Resistant (-10 C / 14 F)
* Full Auto EL Backlight with Afterglow
* World Time
29 times zones (33 cities), city code display, daylight saving on/off
* 5 Daily Alarms
* Countdown (Yacht) Timer
Measuring unit: 1 second
Countdown range: 1 minute to 60 minutes
Countdown Alarm, Progress Beeper
* 1/100 second stopwatch
Measuring capacity: 23:59’59.99″
Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times
* Hourly Time Signal
* Auto Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099)
* 12/24 Hour Formats
* Button operation tone on/off
* Accuracy: +/-20 seconds per month (with no signal calibration)
* Storage Battery CTL1616
* Battery Power Indicator
* Power Saving Function
Approx. battery life: 5 months on full charge with Power Saving Function (without further exposure to light)
* Module 3134Size of case/total weight
PAW1500 56.2 x 50.6 x 13.9mm / 79g
PAW1500T 56.2 X 50.6 X 13.9mm / 113g